The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected us in nearly every part of our lives. Your skin care routine is no exception! The habits that we have adopted, like more frequent hand washing, wearing masks, and working from home, have all impacted our skin care needs. At Cerulean Medical Institute, Dr. Chetty and our skin care experts can help you develop an effective at-home routine and suggest professional treatment options to keep your skin healthy, youthful, and beautiful. Here are some of our top tips for skin care through Covid-19 and beyond.
Keep Up with Healthy At-Home Skin Care
Now more than ever, itโs important to keep up with a quality, effective at-home skin care routine. Your skin health needs may have shifted, so it can be helpful to check in with a skin care professional about the products and routines that will work best for you.
Face masks have become a normal part of our daily routines, but they can also trap dirt, moisture, or oils on the skin. For those who wear a face mask for long periods of time, such as health care workers, this can cause irritation or acne. A gentle yet thorough cleanser will help remove any debris or excess oil without irritating the skin.
With all of your skincare products, it can also be helpful to look for fragrance-free options. This reduces irritation to give your skin a break with mask-wearing in mind. Check that your moisturizers are also non-comedogenic to prevent clogged pores.
Finally, staying home more frequently is no reason to skip your skin care routine. Avoid falling into a routine of neglecting your appearance when you wonโt be socializing out of the house. Using high-quality skin care products consistently is best for your skin health and allows you to prevent signs of aging long-term. In addition, you should remember to wear SPF daily, not just when you will be outside in direct sunlight.
If you have questions about an effective at-home skin care routine, schedule a consultation at Cerulean Medical Institute. Our skin care experts will be happy to help you choose products that will work for you.
Fighting Maskne
Mask acne, or โmaskne,โ has become a common frustration. This acne can form along your chin, on the nose, or around the mouth thanks to trapped moisture, excess oil, or debris from wearing face masks.
There are some steps you can take to prevent maskne. Make sure that your mask fits snugly and properly so it does not cause irritation. Breathable materials, like cotton, are suitably protective while reducing buildup of moisture below the mask. Avoid wearing makeup below the mask, and take breaks when it is safe to do so. Wear a clean or new disposable mask daily.
If you do experience maskne, it can be helpful to simplify your skin care routine and include a limited number of high-quality products. You can also seek professional acne treatment, such as medicated or prescription products, chemical peels, laser treatments, medical microneedling and more.
To learn more about maskne, read our earlier Makne blog post on the subject.
Hydrate and Rejuvenate the Hands
More frequent and diligent hand washing is an important way to stay healthy, but it can also cause dryness and irritation for the skin. In some cases, this dryness will also exacerbate signs of aging in the hands.
To prevent dryness and irritation, use warm water rather than hot water when washing. This is just as effective against germs while being gentler on your skin. Wear gloves when using harsh disinfectants to protect your skin as well. After washing your hands, remember to moisturize them. Combining moisturizers by using lightweight lotions after washing as well as thicker creams can improve your skinโs health.
If you do notice signs of aging on the hands, professional rejuvenation treatments are available. At Cerulean Medical Institute, we offer Radiesse injections to restore lost volume for a smoother, more youthful look. Over time, the hands lose volume as collagen production slows. This results in a dehydrated and aged appearance. Radiesse injections replace this lost volume and stimulates new collagen production for a more youthful look. This can be achieved in a single session with little to no downtime.
Try a Professional Cosmetic Treatment
Working from home has caused an increased demand in cosmetic treatments. This is in part because patients can return to work sooner as they heal from a procedure while remaining comfortably at home. At Cerulean Medical Institute, the procedures we offer are non-surgical, but some do require a bit of downtime. For example, deeper chemical peels have a healing period which involves swelling and redness followed by peeling of the skin. Some laser facial treatments may also cause similar side effects throughout the healing process. These patients often feel well enough to work before their visible side effects have subsided. Working from home allows them to complete the healing process without taking time off or worrying about concealing redness or other side effects before healing is complete.
Similarly, seeing yourself on camera in virtual meetings is a common reason why more patients are choosing cosmetic treatments. Options like Botox or Dermal Fillers are effective ways to reduce wrinkles, saggy skin or other signs of aging that you may be more aware of thanks to virtual meetings. These treatments can be a great pick-me-up option without worrying about downtime. Of course, it is always important to make sure you are choosing a cosmetic treatment option for the right reasons. During a consultation, Dr. Chetty will work with you to understand your cosmetic goals and help you decide whether Botox or fillers are right for you.
Schedule a Consultation
Whatever skin care or cosmetic concerns you may have, the first step in your treatment is a thorough and individualized consultation. During your consultation, Dr. Chetty and our skin care experts will work to understand your unique needs to create the best possible treatment plan for you. At Cerulean Medical Institute, we specialize in natural looking, long lasting results.
To schedule your consultation in Kelowna, BC, call Cerulean Medical Institute at (778) 402-3696 or contact us online.